Home views: back yard

This is the corner view of my parents' backyard, the grass is kept mowed by our generous neighbor. They redid the gardens awhile back, you see the neatly stacked bricks. Behind the backyard is a ravine forest with a large walnut tree.  

Tall shrub corner, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Looking towards the neighbor's house, that's their back deck at the top, you see the small vegetable garden. There are tomatoes, green chives, kale, and a rhubarb pant. Climbing purple clematis are on the left. 

Vegetable garden, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Looking down at these two chairs, with a view of the vegetable garden in the back. When the contractors built the deck they first dug deep circular holes about half a meter wide, I remember standing in the hole and there is a picture of it somewhere. Now you see the posts firmly in place, its a large back deck. 

Two chairs patio, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Home views: front yard

We got the chance to visit Mom and Dad in Bolton over the weekend, here are a few of the paintings I did in the afternoons. The first shows some brown eyed Susan flowers in the front garden with some of the other plants and lawn in the background. There used to be a large pine tree that blocked the light here, now the tree is gone and things grow well. 

Brown eyed Susans front garden, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

The front patio was leveled off in recent history by my industrious parents. They also redid the decorations so you see the brick-red painted flower boxes and Canadian flag. The plant near the front of the garage is probably lungwort. 

Front patio flag, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Okay its not the front yard but the stairs from the back deck which point up the hill to the front yard. Chopped logs are underneath for the occasional winter fire. I kept the colours warm even though the whole scene was in shadow. 

Logs under stairs, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Vanishing Landscapes rural scenes

Years ago I painted an old farmhouse, it was on Columbia way in Caledon near the neighborhood where my parents live. The old house was knocked down long ago, 25 years, and the city put a moratorium on further development of the surrounding farmland. Until now that is, the area was rezoned for development. So here is one of the last scenes from the view, looking north. 

Rural farm vista, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

On the corner with 8th line, there was a pile of cut up tree trunks and stumps... those pesky trees just get in the way of the view. In the background is a cornfield, its not part of the rezoning (looking due east). 

Trees down houses up, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026  

 

On the left is the farm, which has been growing wild for a long time, on the right is a partially completed development retail building, where people will go and pick their brick colour and tile patterns. 

Building of development, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Looking up the 8th line, I filled in the farm-vista colours, but created tension with an obtrusive sign, and black scumbles where the lands was scraped clean (near where trees were cut down.  It been a good run, painting this area for 25 years, and there is more scenery like this just a bit further up the 8th line. 

8th Line sign, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, August 2026 

Looking back: London Ontario a few more scenes

Just a few more paintings in the London collection, actually who am I kidding, there are like about 50 left to show! I will travel the next several days so the blog will be silent but two of my biggest fans will get to see me and Cilei, and a few paintings, in real life (IRL). This scene is Middlesex college, despite its nice outwards appearance it was a real dump inside and the University of Western was renovating it around the time I left. The best part was the Grad Club (a campus pub) with a great patio where we used to hang out. 

Sunset Middlesex College,watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

Seeing this painting again made me laugh a bit, so I loved painting auto shops even 25 years ago. Its surreal to think about it as 25 years ago, I can remember painting this one on location.  I was really into painting backlit scenes, not afraid to take on the shadow elements, and a range of greys. I like how the van has light reflecting off its lower portion, but its reflecting blue light from the sky on the upper portion. 

London Auto light and shadow, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

Same scene, its Middlesex college but with recent snowfall. It took a touch of skill to get the tree done, I worked out some of those techniques at a conference in Keystone Colorado around that time. 

Snowfall Middlesex College, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, 

Another funny one, so I was painting orange traffic signs back then too! Its interesting because in the background there is a Blockbuster Video store partly visible, and a for rent sign over top. At the time, these video stores were on their last legs as businesses. I composed the scene to have orange-blue contrast. The yellow elements in shadow, I think its a sign and a mail box, were well done, its a hard shade of yellow to make. I have to admit looking back on my work from this era has the feel of seeing a different artist, and therefor being able to appreciate it more than I probably did at the time. 

Construction blockbuster, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press,

Busted Bentley twilight

A Bentley GT convertable sedan sped off the Decarie expressway, up to Sherbrooke street, probably going to pick up some rotisserie chicken at the BBQ Chalet? Jokes aside, its not often you get to paint a close-up of such an expensive car, like fully loaded, it costs close to half a million dollars now a days. This one wasn't worth it though, it was parked at the local Auto Mechanic who specializes in fixing expensive cars like a purple Ferrai. It happens to be a good spot to stand and paint, on the sidewalk looking due north, and there is a strong light overhead which helps. The car seems to emerge from the gloomy night, sparkling with chrome and reflective black paint. You have to imagine the noisy din of the highway with the occasional roaring engine of a motorcycle racing past. 

Busted Bentley twilight, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, August 2026

Somebody let the professor out again

A few years ago I got stuck in at the office working on grant applications, the blog was called Somebody let the Scientist out of the Office to howl at the moon. Today was somewhat similar, grant writing, office and a full moon. The first painting is just outside the building looking due south at the rising moon. Tea-coloured due to haze and atmospheric effects, the moon hung over a parking lot, and the commuter train went by. 

Tea moon over campus, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Towards Sherbrooke and Decarie boulevard there is a KFC restaurant, I did a painting here last year from a different angle. Using artistic license I changed the sign to PJD and tried to make Colonel Sanders look a bit like me. I need to get glasses too, and some white hair is appearing, so it will come true eventually just need the goatee.  

PJD fried chicken, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Here you see the moon sitting over Chalet Bar-B-Q rotisserie on Sherbrooke near Decarie. It was a tricky painting, with several light sources popping against a purple and brown background. It was good to take my mind of science for a bit, but still more work to go on the grants. 

Moon over rotisserie, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Looking back: London Ontario a few more memories

I always liked this one, it shows a bunch of bee bomb flowers in the background with an ashtray in a clay pot in the foreground. The textures and shadowing are quite realistic. Its done around 2004 in London Ontario at the Graduate Club, a University of Western pub. 

Bee bombs ash tray, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, 

A complex scene of concrete structures, buildings, and an ornate lamp. I was on a kick of painting lamps for awhile. The sky is neat, it has the blue-cyan transition, probably using combinations of French ultramarine (PB29) and cerulean blue (PB35). 

Lamp concrete downtown, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, 

Just outside the building I lived in for about 5 years, Bayfield hall, this shows my favorite dumpster, a crab apple tree, and a large utility shed. The sun was almost down and I really caught a nice amber-tint on the scene. 

Dumpster and shed, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, 

One of the last times I set foot in the lab, as I was preparing to leave London Ontario for Montreal. I spent a lot of time here working away on experiments for a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. Part of the hospital can be seen through the window. That cylinder on the ground is a liquid nitrogen storage tank. 

Lab bench, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press,